New $230M chocolate factory coming to Frederick County

Frederick County may not have won the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, but it may have snagged something even better — a chocolate facility of its own.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday that Wisconsin chocolate manufacturer Clasen Quality Chocolate will invest $230 million to build a new production facility in Frederick County and create 250 jobs.

Clasen operates four manufacturing facilities, three in Wisconsin and one in Nevada. The Virginia facility will help the company meet rising demand and will be located at Valley Innovation Park, a 145-acre industrial park.

The Madison, Wisconsin-headquartered company, which manufacturers chocolate and confectionery coatings for larger grocery chains and food companies, operates four manufacturing facilities, three in Wisconsin and one in Nevada. The Frederick County facility is expected to help the company meet rising demand. Clasen began as a family-owned bakery in 1959, but has since grown to one of the largest suppliers of chocolate and confectionery coatings in the country.

“We are excited to build our newest production facility in Virginia, enabling us to better serve our customers with high-quality chocolate products,” said Clasen Quality Chocolate President Jay Jensen in a statement.

“Virginia provides one of the best business environments in the country, which cultivates the ecosystem for businesses like Clasen Quality Chocolate to thrive,” Youngkin said in a statement, adding that Virginia is uniquely positioned to help Clasen reach its global market, with its location in the mid-Atlantic.

According to the governor’s office, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the county’s economic development authority to secure the project for Virginia, and Youngkin approved a $3 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the county with this project.

Frederick County Board of Supervisors Chairman Josh Ludwig said in a statement the investment will positively impact the local economy. Del. Bill Wiley, R-Winchester, shared a similar sentiment.

“As the fastest-growing region in the commonwealth, our community faces unique challenges, particularly in supporting school growth and essential services,” Wiley said in a statement. “This major investment in our local economy will help offset the impacts of our rapid expansion by creating jobs and strengthening our tax base. I am excited to see that the decisions we have made in the General Assembly are supporting VEDP’s efforts to attract high-quality industries like this, bringing long-term benefits to our region.”

Clasen did not immediately answer a request for comment on its construction timeline or the facility’s expected opening date.